The Perils of Climate Change in Tennessee

Growing up in the Upstate area of South Carolina, my family and I oftentimes made the short trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, the most visited of all the national parks. We would play in the cool streams, hike on the trails, and gawk at the wildlife we encountered. Nearly 20 years later, I still recall fondly much of my time spent there. However, climate change could render those childhood memories a relic of the past for future generations and imperil the way of life for many in the Volunteer State.

The Sustainable Tennessee Organization, a group of researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, state universities, and the state Department of Health, recently released a new report. It summarizes current research on the potential impacts of climate change on the people, communities, economy, and natural resources of Tennessee. Here are just a few of the group’s findings:

The state’s major cities have warmed approximately 2°F since 1950.

Extreme rainfall events have become more intense across the southeast U.S.

Temperatures in the state are projected to rise 3°F to 5°F by mid-century and 5°F to 9°F by the end of the 21st century.

Summertime precipitation may decrease by the end of the century with no corresponding increases in precipitation during the other seasons to compensate.

Some types of extreme weather events such as extreme heat, heat waves, drought, and heavy rainfall are likely to increase.

As a result of these increases in temperature and changes in precipitation patterns, there are many potential impacts to the state.

Flooding in Nashville after the region received 10 to 20 inches of rainfall in a 36-hour period (Photo credit: FEMA/David Fine)

As detailed by Sustainable Tennessee’s report, climate change poses severe threats to the health, safety, and welfare of millions of Tennesseans. Consequently, the state should take formal steps to develop and implement a plan for climate change preparedness. By doing so, Tennessee can begin to build the resilience of communities across the state and preserve invaluable natural resources like the Great Smoky Mountains for future generations to enjoy.

About

Switchboard is the staff blog of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the nation’s most effective environmental group. For more about our work, including in-depth policy documents, action alerts and ways you can contribute, visit NRDC.org.